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Excellent snapshots, my dear Mr. Admin, although I am afraid that I do have some bad news for you: at least 8 black & white snapshots already presented here by you actually were previously printed (and consequently legally protected!) in a truly magnificent book "World War II - 50th Anniversary Commemorative Edition" (With forewords by Viscount Montgomery of Alamein, Oberburgermeister Manfred Rommel and John S. D. Eisenhower). - Colour Library Books Ltd, 1989. I am not an expert in this case, but I am strongly suggesting a professional legal assistance in this specific case.

Hi Librarian,
As I got the photographs from the National Archives with record of their rights status, I am pretty sure they are in the public domain. What picture(s) are you refering to? PM me if you'd like. Thanks.

Librarian, as I understand it photographs are not protected by copyright in the same way as text is. With photographs, unless the rights are specifically transferred the copyright remains with the photographer. When they are published, the book will almost always buy the right to publish them in a particular form, rather than all future rights to them.

I have neither the time nor the inclination to differentiate between the incompetent and the merely unfortunate - Curtis E LeMay

My dear gentlemen – please, don’t worry: my completely benevolent legal notion was stimulated by that notorious, legally internationally valid notice of copyright, that appeared on the back of the title page of the previously mentioned publication, with those immortal officially authorized elements, well-known to every book-reader on this planet:

- the additional declaration: "All rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photo-copy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher."

I am not a solicitor, or a legal representative and I am not making here a official claim of infringement; my legal knowledge is definitely incomplete and contained. However, as a personality with a deep gratitude toward the owner of this web-site for all those moments of pure factographical joy he provided for us here, I am only saying that - as with any potential commercial transaction - it's a good idea to get suitable professional legal guidance. That’s all.

On the other hand, legal situation connected with this rare color photo, published in a book "Picture History of World War II" back there in 1970 is highly intriguing. I think that Russians, for example, as the legal co-successors of the ex-USSR, will be able to uphold their claim that the absence of proper financial compensation to the author of this snapshot, if reprinted, will be explicable by the regulations of Enemy property confiscation act, concerning private property of enemy subjects for reasons other than reasons connected with the prosecution of the war.

War in the Russia - peasant’s house fire flare up and destroys someone’s modest home – USSR, 1941. Photo taken by Dr Alfred Ott

Of course, as already explained by honorable Mr. Egorka, all these photographs here should be considered as the non-profit objects, intended for fair-use as elements of edification, learning and historiographic research. Therefore I am assuring you, honorable ladies and gentlemen, that my investigative efforts always will be intended for these purposes – legal issues are not and never will be a bee in my bonnet.